Lessons in entrepreneurship from the Lagos marathon

I know this article is coming weeks after the Lagos Marathon, however, I have been ruminating on how similar running a marathon is to our quest for personal and business excellence. So, Why would anybody want to run a marathon? It beats any logical explanation why people would deliberately choose to put their bodies through the torture of running for miles and miles over an extended period of time. Running a marathon is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks anybody can decide to undertake. The hazards are too numerous to mention from exhaustion to hyperthermia to temporary body shrinkage, injury, blisters, cramp, blood vessel damage and even sudden death. Yes, that too! So why would anybody want to do it? The answer lies in the fact that within every human being, there is an innate need to accomplish feats that seem impossible. Humans have been running marathons for centuries now, and it has become part of the global sporting calendar. The origin of the marathon is purported in Greek folklore, to have been the aftermath of the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. Legend has it that the Greek messenger Pheidippides ran from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens to relay the news of the victory. Upon his arrival at Athens, he announced their victory and then collapsed and died from exhaustion. The run became the inspiration for the Marathon event, introduced at the 1896 Modern Olympics.

Recently in Lagos, the State Government launched the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon. Amidst pomp and pageantry, professional and amateur runners took to the streets of Lagos to run from the National Stadium on the Lagos mainland all the way to the Eko Atlantic City. The awareness and the media push were palpable throughout the city as major streets were spotted with posters of the forthcoming event. The race commenced as early as 7.10 a.m. with 20,000 marathoners. The 42.1km race went through Ikorodu road to Oworonsoki, passing through the Third Mainland Bridge to Victoria Island terminating at Eko Atlantic City. Abraham Kiptum of Kenya won the marathon after crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 16 minutes and 21 seconds. He won the star prize of $50,000. Another Kenyan marathoner, Hosea Kipkemoi Kiplagat was second, while Ethiopian Debebe Tolosa came third in the men’s category. The first Nigerian to finish the race was Philip Sharabutu in 2 hours, thirty minutes and fifty-one seconds.

The experiences of Lagos marathoners at this year’s race paint a very interesting picture. Many could not muster the strength and stamina to go the distance. Ambulances were picking up exhausted runners all along the route. Makeshift beds dotted the route and came in handy for runners who had gone past their limit. On-lookers did their best to provide mental support to those who dared to take up the challenge, but in the end, the true contenders emerged and left the also-rans far behind. The hilarious account given by Comrade Yussuf Kelani probably best summarizes the marathon experience of that day. But then, what parallels can be drawn from Comrade Kelani’s experience and the rough and tumble of the business terrain in Nigeria. What lessons can we draw from the marathon as a metaphor for the long race to business success and financial security?

Firstly, a marathon is different from a sprint. It takes a lot more than just a short burst of energy and enthusiasm to survive in a marathon race as indeed in business. As lactic acid builds up in a runner’s body, muscle efficiency is reduced and the runner feels a burning sensation in his muscles. At this point, every instinct tells the runner to stop and rest; but to succeed; the runner must resist the urge to stop. He must run through the pain. The same can be said for the entrepreneur’s race. Challenges will accumulate as the entrepreneur continues on his journey. It takes a strong mindset to endure the long distance. Comrade Yusuf’s account of people falling off on the way is also consistent with the entrepreneurial experience. Not everybody who starts the race will finish. When the going gets tough in business is when the tough really gets going. The real contenders will always be separated from the pretenders as the race goes on.

One other interesting similarity between running a marathon and running a business is that the most successful people in both areas are uncommonly motivated. They strive to go beyond the ordinary and do what the average person would not. Successful businessmen like Aliko Dangote have daily schedules that would seem much too strenuous for the average person. Despite their enormous wealth, they stay awake when others are sleeping. They travel long distances to meet appointments, and they are never satisfied with their achievements. A successful marathon runner has a similar type of motivation.

In running a race as well as in starting a business, there will be supporters and there will be doubters. Comrade Yusuf’s account of people cheering on as the marathoners ran through the streets of Lagos can be likened to friends and family who support people with verbal encouragement and even with finances as they make their entrepreneurial journey. There will also be those who have reasons to believe that the runner or business owner is making a mistake and will not reach the desired destination. Constructive criticism should always be welcome as it provides a perspective needed for people to work on their weak points and so, improve. The important thing is to weigh criticism logically and learn from it, but not to let it be a discouragement.

Also, there are many unforeseen circumstances that can affect a marathoner, as they will a businessman. These hindrances can grossly impact their ability to reach their goals. Imagine a runner who has prepared for a race, only to experience an unexpected illness, flu, stomach cramps, unfavorable weather conditions and many other factors that could be problematic. So also, the voyage of SME ownership can be affected by many storms. Government policy changes, for instance, can wipe out businesses in the blink of an eye. Destruction of assets and company property by flood or fire can cause serious set-backs to any business. Even in the digital age, a software glitch, malware or hacking incident can cause loss of vital data that could kill a business. So, running a marathon and running a business are two things that are fraught with uncertainty that can sometimes, be hardly mitigated. There is always the risk element in every worth-while undertaking.

In the aftermath of the race, the lessons that can be drawn are numerous. Firstly, the most important thing to remember is that proper preparation is the key to success in any field. You don’t just turn up on the day of a marathon race and expect to surpass those who have put in the work. It takes a minimum of three months to prepare for a marathon. If you want to emerge as the best in any field, there must be enough preparation beforehand. So also, before starting your business you have to prepare. Arm yourself with the knowledge of the latest and most effective techniques to get your product or service to the top. Don’t leave anything to chance.

Another vital lesson is that it is very important to pace yourself. Set targets that are not only realistic and achievable, but also bring out the best in you and in your staff. Stretch yourself a little. Explore your limits but be careful not to cause harm to your company or staff while doing so. Provide proper motivation by rewarding outstanding achievements. There will be others possibly more skilled or with more resources than you. Don’t be intimidated. Run your own race. Allow your business to grow at its own speed. Just as in running a marathon, you may not emerge as the first but there is always a great deal of satisfaction in beating one’s own personal best performance.

A lot of people do not achieve their dreams simply because of the fear of failing. They are more concerned about the disapproval of on-lookers, family and friends. The fear of failure robs people of the courage to be outstanding. Running a race is also quite similar. But the best way to overcome this fear is to see any potential failure as a stepping-stone to future success. If you are unable to finish a race, see it as preparation for the next one. Let it serve as your motivation to prepare more adequately the next time. The same attitude should be applied to business. Many businesses do not make it past the first few years of existence. Failure in business can often lead to financial distress, depression and many other problems. But if you take the experience and lessons learned from that failure and re-apply them in the next venture, you’re bound to do better the next time.

So then, what happens when one prepares adequately to take on the challenge of starting and finish the race? Does this singular achievement make one a champion? The truth is that true greatness cannot be achieved by one singular triumph. If you’ve managed to guide one business to profitability, do you then sit back and rest on your oars? That is not what real champions do. The greats in the world of long distance running always seem to find ways to better their past achievements. Even after proving their greatness, they still return to battle it out time after time, if in doubt, ask Hussein Bolt! The careers of Haile Gebrselassie and Paula Radcliffe are filled with tales of continued dominance in the face of many personal and physical challenges. So also the titans of the business world like Warren Buffet and Donald Trump. They are always looking for the next big deal. The next achievement that will take their legacy even higher. They no longer seek wealth for vain reasons, but they understand that they have a responsibility to the thousands of people who work for them and the millions of customers that use their products and services, to strive to be better. That is the attitude that any budding entrepreneur must imbibe. If you succeed in your entrepreneurial race, you must look for a bigger target to conquer. As in starting out in business, it takes courage and resolve to run the marathon. So why don’t you begin now to warm up for the 2017 marathon; and why not?

MUNA ONUZO